15-year jail term sought for 83 academics over coup involvement

An İstanbul prosecutor has demanded a 15-year sentence for each of 83 academics from Yıldız Technical University for alleged membership in the Gülen movement, which is accused by the government of masterminding a failed coup attempt on July 15, the state-run TRThaber reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, prosecutor Mehmet Şenay Baygın, from the bureau of terrorism and organized crime, completed an indictment for 83 academics, 21 of whom are already in jail. Baygın asked the court for sentences ranging from seven-and-a-half years to 15 years for the academics on charges of being members of “FETÖ,” a derogatory term coined by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to refer to members of the Gülen movement.

On Friday prosecutors issued detention warrants for 37 academics at İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ) over alleged links to the Gülen movement.